There will be no #snapback

This still life is called There will be no #snapback (2020)

In this Still Life painting, on the same kitchen bench as before with our very own guardian looking on, new cleaners and sanitisers are arriving from the supermarket.  But as I discovered, there are ongoing supply chain problems.  Supermarkets have relaxed customer quantity purchase limits.  And yes, the shelves of cleaners, wipes, sanitisers, sprays and bottles, are fast emptying – or are empty!  These, faster than fast Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), seem to be heralding the new toilet paper shortage challenge.   

Disruption abounds.  At this time in ISOland, the new stillness is being disrupted.  There will be no #snapback.  Kids are going back to school to new ways of doing things, lots of businesses are reopening to new rules, policies and procedures, and sadly, some never will.  Politics is being disrupted by new disrupters.  And, we’re being allowed more people into our homes.  Sport is back locally and nationally - I'm looking forward to watching the new social distancing between umpires and fractious players.

And having more people into our home brings new challenges, new disruptions.  On top of what we used to do cleaning wise, ISOing with visitors is requiring a whole new level of #safehome processes.

We have new cleaning and sanitiser products not seen in our home previously.  You do have to read the labels carefully.  Our empathetic guardian looks over them and carefully assesses their quality to determine quality, safety and fit for purpose.  

As Rocket and I walked our Rainbow walking trail today I overheard a couple of "younger than I" discuss risk management strategies.  We quickly walked past but I couldn’t help but think – do we need risk management procedures for visitors by room.  Sign in and out recording, temperature measuring devices, hand washing checks and the like to cover our insurance requirements! 

I stopped, shook my head of such thoughts and Rocket and I went walking on, quietly enjoying the wonders of nature.  

Rocket is looking forward to seeing some of his friends and so are we.  We'll just be doing common sense rules stuff, social distancing, hand washing, with sanitiser and disinfectant wipes available. And our friends know if they are not feeling well, we'll love to see you next time.

There will always be green shoots

I’ve called this painting, “There will always be green shoots”.

When you watch nature you sometimes see wondrous things that others do not see. The wonder of nature illustrates to humanity that somewhere, sometime green shoots will always appear.

By late May 2020, our almost 50-year-old Pin Oak had shed all its leaves.  Its leaves are left where they fall to add nutrient to the soil for its winter rest and for its spring blooming and protect during the heat of summer into autumn.  Along with other parts of our garden this tree is also fed by a sub-surface rain garden.  

A few days ago, I watched a group of King Parrots that descended onto the leafless new leaders.  The young branches were strong under the parrot’s weight and obviously held some appetising new growth or leaf buds. 

Watching I witnessed the birds tail feathers flared and saw that these parts of nature’s wonders were perfectly in sync.  The tree provided the nutrient the resilience and support and the birds provided the love symbiosis to the tree and those lucky enough to watch this event unfold.  

The ghostly reflection speaks to the laws of nature and the need for all of us to respect, protect and look after the nature we’ve been blessed with, gifted by those who’ve gone before and to be left for those that come after. 

Morning light before the storm

The early morning light, mid April 2020, was simply wondrous. Beyond our horizon line the sun was up with a cold autumn glow.  The storm clouds a twisting and turning were a deep blue with tinges of yellow and a hint of red.  Out with the abstract brush, I said!  The result was a skyscape tinged with magenta madness, for those in the know!

I’m always excited but never surprised with the accidentalness of the abstraction in clouds.  In this view, the clouds also reveal a reflected portrait of the artist.  I’ve spend the past four months working in our gardens, making up for my time studying.  

Isn’t Nature amazing.  She has so many wonderful ways of grabbing your attention and getting herself noticed.

New Paintings - YAVA - Eyes Theme

For a YAVA Virtual Exhibition based on the Theme of Eyes, my work is called...We Never Got to Say Goodbye (2020). 

I was late in starting and the submission date of April 27 went by!  But here it is now!

In We Never Got to Say Goodbye (2020) the montaged protagonist(s) represent the stresses that the global cacophony of changes wrought by the COVID-19 virus have brought to our lives.  As well, there are the probable / possible / imagined near and far future changes now starting to be implemented. 

To further heighten emotions there are oft extreme differences of media comment and seemingly purposeful discord.  Journalists and their masters committed to highlighting disputes and differences. And there are the videographers and waiting photographers, their cameras at the ready waiting for the “money shot” and sound bite.  

It is said, the eyes are the windows to the soul.  But are they?  Facial expressions can be acted / manipulated / masked by protagonists or they can reveal deeply felt, personal anger or hurt or pleasure, joy, sadness, happiness or a quiet emotional feeling, shyness, a blank non-committal expression.

Faith in humanity says a COVID-19 solution can be found.  In these challenging and changing times, there is even more of a need for empathy and respect, and less of the gruff and bluster from our leaders and others. 

As a nation we are both independent and dependent. We have successfully managed, under pressure at times, a global system, constantly in a state of flux that has trade / defence / science / education / health / food / diplomacy at its heart.

One measure of our future success will be measured in how we move forward to develop, negotiate and build a sustainable interdependence with a range of others.  

If we can’t do that: We Never Got to Say Goodbye can become self-fulfilling.

New Paintings - Still Life

Roy Scranton (2020) wrote “Existence has no shape but change, and history is one damned thing after another.” 

I’ve been wanting to make another Still Life work for some time. This work, I’ve called...There is a message in this (2020). 

I arranged the Still Life elements on our kitchen bench, deliberately positioned to reflect the accoutrements of modernity and memory. 

Resting her feet, one of our many empathetic visitors says “There’s a message in this”.  The messenger hangs her head.  The message light blinks 1.  We all know what the message relates to.  The COVID-19 virus.  But, the near future message is often contradictory. There are often multiple and or hidden messages. It’s is getting the economy going, bringing with it, employment, income and a sense of security, that there is a future, or something else?

The COVID-19 rules are being relaxed.  Get ready for the new rules. Whatever variation of the new rules of affects you, change it is! Be prepared.  What will be its shape?  It’s unlikely that the new normal will be the old normal, nor will it be static or move in a straight line.  Be prepared for further change.  There will be good news and positive outcomes but, there will also be uncertainty, back steps and exasperation on many levels!    

What come first: a healthy populace with a gradual, graduated and rules based social distancing system of getting back to work, back to school, sports, leisure and tourism activities?  A system where there is a mutuality of obligation and responsibility.  A system where the health and safety of the community holds a higher position than the rights of the individual.

Or less so?  A snapback to the “old normal” in full swing, no social distancing mandated restrictions, everything back to before and all borders reopened?  A win for individual right to choose?  Or a loss to the community? 

Life might be still at this moment, a time frozen in the moment, but soon it will not be!  We’re all now bit players at that part of the new normal play book, a play book with a maze of endless trails, twists, turns, dead ends and horizonless plains.  

There is a message in this!